Hope that you don't mind me asking, but just wondering what is happening with the Usergroup? Obviously the forum is a bit quiet but I can't seem to locate any updates. It would be nice to know you are all there and to have some information about members. Maybe it would encourage people to join in.

Hello Mark - thank you for replying. I did wonder if anyone would. I genuinely wanted to know if the members are still active. I too have an attachment to PUG but if people aren't working at it any more then it isn't going to go anywhere. If PUG and this forum are worth saving then the group needs to promote it more so that people can see what they are doing. I take your point about the other forum, but this one is different and IMO worth saving if people put a bit of time and effort into it. Maybe time for some discussion?

In my honest and possibly controversial opinion PUG are far from active as PUG. Some of the guys are very active on the community and keep the flag flying high, however as a group they are wholly inactive and ineffective.

Harsh words coming from me, but it's the truth. Now I've moved back to this side of the fence, I've a wee bit more freedom to speak my mind than previously, however it needs saying.

Don't get me wrong, there are some very capable people within PUG, and Plusnet possibly shoulders a lot of the blame for PUG's stagnation. My view is rub it out and draw it again. The death knell in my opinion for PUG was the apparent lack of willingness to engage or fully integrate with the community site. I'll reiterate, that's an opinion and I'm happy to be challenged on it and proved wrong.

The death knell in my opinion for PUG was the apparent lack of willingness to engage or fully integrate with the community site.

Well, I hadn't thought about that tbh. I absolutely agree with comments about expertise - the members are (or were) very capable indeed and that is why I value the forum. Sadly, they are just not here now. I do hope these threads will stimulate members to focus on, and discuss the issue.

In my honest and possibly controversial opinion PUG are far from active as PUG. Some of the guys are very active on the community and keep the flag flying high, however as a group they are wholly inactive and ineffective.

I'd challenge the extent of the latter part of your comment there, Mark, inasmuch as the "wholly" descriptive. As you know, PUG still feedback on a number of Plusnet items as and when they are raised. Although this is not directly customer-facing, it does feed into Plusnet's own interaction with users.

Quote from: Mark Kelly

Now I've moved back to this side of the fence, I've a wee bit more freedom to speak my mind than previously

I'd not noticed you being so reticent in the past

Quote from: Mark Kelly

Don't get me wrong, there are some very capable people within PUG, and Plusnet possibly shoulders a lot of the blame for PUG's stagnation. My view is rub it out and draw it again. The death knell in my opinion for PUG was the apparent lack of willingness to engage or fully integrate with the community site.

There are a number of factors which have impacted the substantial decline in interactivity - Community being a large part, coupled with an erosion in PUG members, changes to Plusnet structure and personal circumstances of individual members. That's not to present these as excuses, just to indicate that PUG is just one part of each member's digital life.

Quote from: poppy

I do hope these threads will stimulate members to focus on, and discuss the issue.

dhookham - you seem committed to keep things going and I commend you for that. Would like to offer one suggestion - could you not start with a resume of current PUG members and how they feel about the group? It's difficult for the outsider to know anything about it and its membership at the moment. On many forums (my own included) they have a topic for introductions and all the admin team are on there so that people know who they are talking to.

There's no doubt that PUG open forum activity has declined in recent times with more emphasis being placed on Community. As has been pointed out we still give feedback to Plusnet as and when requested.

Probably an update of membership details is required as, in recent times, certain factors have affected the activity of members.

As has been pointed out we still give feedback to Plusnet as and when requested.

It's a shame this is not reported on here then we would be able to see (and know about) the activity of the Usergroup. If the public side of the Usergroup is to thrive, we need to know what is going on.

Thank you for the link to current members Spraxyt - very useful, although it is just a list of usernames with nothing beside them such as involvement with PUG/interests and specialities etc. I do appreciate that some people add such things to their profile but not all.

From my own experience of being in PUG (Apr 2004 - Sept 2006) I'd surmise the guys there still probably put in a lot of hours - just the work is less visible these days, because the main interaction with other customers is done on the Comm Site.

A great deal of what PUG does (or did, anyway) is NDA (non-disclosure) so can't be broadcast publicly. That doesn't make the group invalid, and I have to admit to being disappointed to see the recent broadsides.

Perhaps you should join, Poppy, and see for yourself what it's like behind the scenes

I moved to pastures new at the end of September. I've joined Ian Wild and a few of the old brigade at WANdisco.

Penny is correct. A great deal of what PUG do is covered by NDA however the limited contribution over the last 12 - 18 months is what spurred my remarks.

Penny, good to see you still around. Broadside or not, it is absolute fact. A handful of the guys keep the flag flying, the majority make little contribution and the work done is mostly proof reading of content.

Gosh - I've just had a look at the Power Point presentation from the open day in 2007 - members number 19! Not many of those are involved now. Also checked out the Twitter link and it's not been added to since 5th August 2011 (well, it is a rainy day!).

As for joining, the comment beneath your avatar could equally apply to me - probably doubled! I'm afraid I'd be as much use as a chocolate fireguard!

I disagree. You are a customer and a long standing, experienced one at that, who's seen lots of change, good times and bad times. You don't need to be technical, just interested, willing to engage and work within the aims of PUG.

The group does need some technical expertise, but it also needs people who know customer experience and that's probably more important right now than technical knowledge.